U.S. Deepens Crackdown on Predator Spyware Maker Intellexa Consortium

The U.S. Treasury’s OFAC sanctioned five individuals and one entity tied to the Intellexa Consortium for developing and distributing the Predator commercial spyware, expanding March actions and blocking assets while warning that those who transact with designees risk penalties; U.S. officials cited national security, privacy, and human rights concerns, noting complementary tools like export controls and visa restrictions. The report also mentions observations of Russian state hackers deploying exploits similar to commercial spyware vendors’ techniques and references Apple’s move to dismiss its NSO Group lawsuit over security concerns.